Pct. 4 Justice of the Peace James Metts awarded 8 animals to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals on Tuesday during a hearing regarding their May 11 seizure by livestock deputies with the Pct. 4 Constable’s Office.
For some time, Pct. 4 deputies have responded to complaints regarding seven horses and one donkey and noted a steady decline in their health. They have dealt with the owner repeatedly and each time, he took steps to improve the situation. Unfortunately, before too long, the calls would begin again.
When deputies checked on the animals at the property in the 2700 block of Jeffcote Road most recently, they were forced to take action. There was no grass on the property and the stalls showed evidence the starving horses had chewed the wood. One horse was an estimated 400 pounds underweight. Last Wednesday, the deputies were joined at the location by representatives from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and they executed a seizure warrant, removing all of them from the property.
On Tuesday afternoon, the District Attorney’s Office gave the horses’ owner an opportunity to voluntarily forfeit his rights to the animals and the owner accepted. Judge Metts heard details from the SPCA regarding the cost of the animals’ care and treatment since the seizure and awarded them $4,921 in reimbursement to be paid by the defendant. Representing himself, the defendant did not ask any questions of the witness from the SPCA and no other witnesses were necessary since a deal was struck.
Investigators said the man told them he had experienced financial difficulty during the past two years and had been out of work for part of that time.
Pct. 4 Constable Kenneth “Rowdy” Hayden, who sat in on the court session, said similar stories are common in cases of neglect and more so with the current economic downturn.
“We understand that people get in situations where they have to choose between feeding their livestock and feeding their families, but when people have animals they’re required by law to take care of them,” Constable Hayden said. “If they don’t, we have to step in and it winds up costing them a lot of money anyway.”
Judge Metts expressed the same sentiment, saying that he sympathized with the plight of the owner, but he said the horses and donkey were also suffering.
“I’m glad the owner didn’t fight the seizure,” Judge Metts said. “It was the best thing for all concerned, people and animals.”
“These horses were in deplorable condition and starving to death,” he said. “That’s not only cruel, it’s against the law
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